Folding machine



May 14, 1946.

, C. P. TONG 'ETAL FOLDING MACHINE Filed July 14, 1943v 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 'L @Ja/zum,

May 14,y 1946. c. P. "roNG Erm. 2,400,475

FOLDING MACHINE Filed July 14 1945 `8 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmc/Wto My14,1946. c; HONG Em..

FOLDING MACHINE Filed July 14, 1943 May. 14, 1946. c. P. ToNG :s1-Al.-

FOLDING MACHINE 8 SheeiQq-Sheet 5 Filed July 14, 1943 IIIIHIIIIIUI May 14, 1946.

c. P. ToNG 'E-r AL -FoLIN MACHINE.

8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 14, 1945 VII \\\\\L Y FOLDING MACHINE Fild Jply 14, 194s s sheets-sheet 7 @www Patented May 14, 1946 UNITED STAT 'FOLDING MAcniNn Christopher Tong N. C., Vassignors to and JohnWgMayDu-rhamg; wrights Automatic ery Company; Durham', NgCga corporation of' North Carolina Application July 14, 1943, seriaiNn. 494.674

11 claims. (ci.fazit-:fesiie This invention relates to a folding machine and more particularly to apparatus forfolding elo`nr gated flexible articles about a filler orstiifening member such asy a piece of Vcardboard to prepare the article for a packing or wrapping operation.

The apparatus of the present inyention is par; ticularly applicable to the foldinggof hosiery `but may obviously be employed for the foldingof any elongated article made of cloth orsimilar' flexible material- In general, the machine of the present invention folds hosiery or other similar articles about a filler or stiiening member such as a piece of cardboard as fast -as'two operatorsfcan position the articles upon a feed table. The lller member is employed asa folding instrumentality and inserts a portion ofY the articlev in partially folded condition in a resilient pocket preferably mounted upon a rotating tur ret. Rotation of the turret in conjunction with other folding mechanism completes the folding operation, the folded articleL with its filler piece then being smoothed and discharged from .the turret pocket at a turret position spaced from that at which the article is originally partially inserted in the turret pocket. The' entire folding operation is entirely automatic after the articles have been correctly positioned upon a feed table and the folded articles are discharged from the machine in condition to be fed directly lto a1wrap ping machine or to suitable packaging apparatus. .30

It is, therefore, an object ofthe presentinvention to provide improved apparatus 'for folding elongated flexible articles about a' filler member in order to condition the -articlesfor wrap'- ping Vor packaging. i

Another object of* the present invention is to provide a machine for folding elongated flexible articles in which a filler member is employed as a folding instrumentality for partially folding the article.

Another object `of the invention is to provide an automatic folding machine in which the .arti'cles to be folded are alternately placed lupon spaced portions of a reciprocating table While which the articles are automaticallyffolded about a filler member and discharged from the Imachine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved foldingV machine which rapidly folds and vdischarges elongated -flexible articles .in folded condition suitable for wrapping orL packaging.

A further object ofthe invention is toprovide a folding machinel employing a reciprocating ta'- ble providing-two? spaced portionsfor receiving articles to .befolded in which machine articles previously placed' upon one portion of the table are being folded while another article is being positioned upon another portion of the table.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description of a preferred-embodiment thereof-shown in the attached drawingsofwhich f 1 'Fig'.- 1 isyavertical Vsection taken'through the machine -fof the if present invention substantially upon theilinel-fof'Fig;2; v ^-Fig52jis an end-elevation of the machine;

1 Fig-'.3 is-a plan'viewof-the machine with certain' parts'broken away;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation'of the machine;

v' Fig.y 5is a horizontal section taken substantially y on the line 5.-'-5 of Fig. 1;

=Fig.`6 is'fa vpartialv vertical section taken on the line B-i-S of Fig; 4; Y f

' Fig. '7" is' a partialverticalelevation taken on theline1'-1-ofFig.4;

Fig; 'i'sl'v'a fragmentaryview illustrating the operating -mechanis`m for 'a smoothing roller;

Figs. 9 to 1-3',-"'incll1sive,-are fragmentary schematic'views illustrating certain ofthe operations performed by the-machinej and "FigJj-ll is' an enlargedview of the completely foldedfarticleas-discharged from the machine.

*I erieral description Referring to Figli, themachine of the present inventionincludes a mainframe 2l! surmounted by an upper. frame 2i secured to the mainframe .20, articlefeed table 22 is mounted .for lateral ,reciprocationin the upper frame 2l. The table, 22 is adapted toreceive articles to be folded, the articles loeirigfv manually positioned alter-r nately oppositehportions of the table. A fillermember feedmechanism indicated generally: atg23 isfmounted upon the upper frame 2i vand.feeldsiiller members suc-h as strips of cardboardorthe-like downwardly through the slots the table isy stationary and the article nien-red .45 in th'ztablf-z'z "15 @gage 'the art-c1@ and form intothe machine by movement of the table after` foldsftherein; Alrotatmgfolding turret 24 positionedjbelowlftiie table receives the filler mem berrandgthe folds inthe article which are formed by. they.: :flllerriiernleenA--An` auxiliary folding mechanismbperatmg in conjunction with the 'turret 124 during .movement thereof completes the foldingl operation onfthe varticle and a disehargemechanismindicated generally at"2l .and including discharge; chains 28, lsmoothingfand compi-etsii,1gf,` rollers r29 and 3l and vdischarge pusher 32 smoothes the folded article and discharges it from the machine.

The machine is driven from any suitable source of power such as an electric motor 33 through a speed reducer 34, a pulley 35 and a flexible drive member such asa V-belt 36 engaging the pulley 35 and a variable diameter spring .Pulley 31 to provide for variable speedcontrolf'lhe motor 33 and speed reducer 34 are preferably mounted upon a sliding carriage 38 for movement.

toward and away from the pulley 31 by means of a threaded shaft 39 journaled in the frame 20= and provided with a hand wheel 4|. The .var-

iable diameter pulley 31 is fixedly mounted 'upon' 5' Article feed mechanism As shown most clearly in Figs. 1, 2V, 4 and 7, the feed table 22 ismounted for reciprocation transversely of the machine in lower and upper ways 52 and 53,` respectively, secured to .the main frame 20 and auxiliary frame 2|, respectively, the ends of the lower ways 5 2. being supported by brackets 54 secured to the frame 20. Flanged rollers 55 rotatably secured to the ends of the table 22 engage the ways 52 and 53 to support and guide the carriage. In the position of the carriage shown in Figs. 2 and 7 `an elongated flexible article or articles, such as` a pair of hose,'may be positioned on the left portion of the table as shown in Figs. 2 and 7 so as to extend longitudinally of the table. Upon lateral reciprocation of the ytable to they right in thesegures a similar article or articles may-be positioned upon the right portion of the table so as to extend longitudinally thereof. Y.

The table is reciprocated in timed relation with the other portions of the machineby means of a pair of links 56 each having one end pvotally secured to an end ofthe table at 51 (Fig. '1). The links 56 also each have their other end pivotally secured to one end of a lever arm 58 at 59. Two lever arms 58 are provided, one being adjacent each end of the table 22. The lever arms 58 are rigidly secured to a rocket shaft 6| extending longitudinally of the machine and journaled in brackets 62 secured to the lframe 20. Another arm 63 (Fig. 2) also has one end rigidly secured to the rocker shaft 6| and is provided at its other end with a cam follower roller 64 engaging in a, Vcam groove` 66 in the face cam 5|. It will be apparent that rotation of the cam 5| will reciprocate thetable 22 from side to side and that the form of the cam groove is such as to hold the table in stationary or dwell position for a predetermined time in its extreme positions.` During the time that the table is maintained stationary in one position, one portion of the table is centered in' thermachine for a folding operation. 'Also during this time an operator can position an article'orarticles to be folded upon theprojecting portion of the table and at the same time the-machine removes from the center portion of the table and folds an article previously positioned upon the table.

and part of the folding operation is accomplished by the filler member feeding mechanism.

Filler member feeding mechanism As shown most clearly in Figs. l and 3, a hopper 61 for ller members is suitably secured in any desired manner to an upper cover member 68 supported by the frame 2| and extends downwardly through an opening 69 in the cover 68.

AAH plurality of at pieces of cardboard or other 'filler members 1l' may be vertically positioned inV the hopper 61 and urged to the left in Fig. 1

by means of a weight 12 resting upon the inclined bottom 13 of the hopper 61. The filler Lmembers 1I are thereby individually positioned end pivotally secured at 8| to the crosshead 16 and its other end pivotally secured at 82 to a The removal of the article from the table u Vcrank 83 secured to a crankshaft 84 having one end journaled in the bracket 18 and its other end journaled in aV :bracket 86 secured to the auxiliary frame 2|. 4

The crankshaft 84 is driven from the cam shaft 46 through a chain 81 engaging a sprocket 88 on the shaft 84 and the sprocket 89 on the shaft 46. It will be apparentthat rotation of the shaft 84 and crank 83 will reciprocate the crosshead 16 and plunger 14 in aA vertical direction and that on its downward stroke the plunger 14 will strip one of the filler members1| from the hopper 61 and force the filler member downwardly through a slot 9| in the reciprocating table 22 and also through a slot 92 in the guide member 93 supported upon a longitudinally extending apertured member 94 secured to the frame 20. The filler members 1| are somewhat wider than the plunger member 14 and enter the guide structure 11 through an opening 96 so that a single filler member is stripped from the supply on each downward stroke of the plunger 14. Y Asshown in Figs; y9 and 10, an elongated flexible article 91 positionedon the table- 22 will be engagedl by the filler member 1 and folded about the ller mem.' ber, the ller member and folded portion of the article 91 being inserted-into a resilient pocket 98 carried upon the folding turret. 24. The table 22 is held stationary during actuation ofthe plunger 14 through the slot 9| thereof and during this time another article to be folded is being positioned upon the projecting portionof the table for the next folding operation. Resilient guide elements 99 (Fig. 6) secured to the guide member 93 prevent lateral displacement of the ller member during insertion into the pocket 98. 4.

Folding turret The pockets 98 .of the folding turret 24 are formed by resilient members |00 and |0| suitably secured to an arbor |02 fixedly mounted on a turret shaft |03. The turret shaft |03 is journaled in the side portions of the frame as shown most clearly in Fig. 6 and is driven by a chain |01 (Figs. 1 and 5) engaging a sprocket |08 on the turret shaft |034 and a sprocket |09 on one end of a Geneva shaft also journaled in the side members of the frame 20. The Geneva shaft has .a female Geneva member I2 secured to its opposite end (Figs. 4 and 5). The Geneva member |I`2 is intermittently rotated by means of a being held against the camby a spring |81 having one, end securedtothe pivot |8| and the other end-secured to the frame at |88.- It will be apparent that rotation of the shaft 6| and cam |86 will reciprocate the yoke member |82 to rock the shaft |11 and thus rock the lever arm |16 (Fig. 1) and reciprocate the pusher 32 along'the plate |41.

e Operation In operation the machine of the present invention is employed to fold elongated flexible articles. These articles are placed alternately on the opposite sides of the reciprocating table 22, shown in Figs. 1 and 6, so as to extend longitudinallyV of the table as shown in Fig. 9. The table occupies the position shown in Figs. 1 and 6 during one cycle of operation of the machine and during this time an operator places one article on the portion of the table extending to theleft in Fig. 6. After the folding operation is completed by the machine the table 22 is reciprocated to the right in Figs. 2 and 6 by means of the link 56, crank arm 58, rock shaft 6|, crank arm"|3 and face cam The article just placed ongthe table is then subjected to the Afolding opera; tion while another article to be folded is placed on the portion of the table projecting from the right of the machine in Figs. 2 and' 6. Thus the face-cam 5| makes one revolution for every two folding operations of the machine.-

A supply of filler members 1|, such as cardboard, are positioned in the hopper 13, best shown in Fig. 1, and one at a time are stripped from the supply by means of the plunger l14 attached to the crosshead 16` which crosshead is reciprocated in a vertical direction by the connecting rod 19, crank 8,3 rotated by the shaft 84 which is in turn driven by the shaft 46 for the face cam 5| through the chain 81 and sprockets 88 and 89, the shaft 84 making two revolutions to each revolution ofthe shaft 46. The individual filler members 1| stripped from the supplyV by the plunger 14 are pushed downwardly into engagement with the article 91 to be folded (Figs. 9 and 10) and carry a fold of the article downwardly through slots 9| in the table 22 and 92 in a guide member 93 so as to insert the folded material into a resilient pocket 98A carried by a turret 24. The plunger is then withdrawn and reciprocated upwardly so as to pick up another ller member on its next downward stroke. When the plunger has been withdrawn from the pocket 98y of the turret 24, the turret 24 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction in Fig. 1 through 90 by means of a chain |01 engaging the sprocket |08 on the turret shaft |93 which chain also engages a sprocket Ill!)V on the cross shaft intermittently rotated by a Geneva mechanism shown in Fig. 4. `The Geneva movement includes a female Geneva member ||2 and a male Geneva member ||3 secured to a shaft' H4 driven by a chain 6 engagingv a sprocket on the shaft I I4 and also a sprocket on the main drive shaft 42. This positions another pocket 98 on the turret for reception of another folded article.

During the rotation of the turret 24 the resilient members |00 and |0| forming thek pocket 98 grip the partly folded article containing the ller and, as shown in Figs. 11 and 1'2,A the remainder of the article being folded is drawn through the slots 9| and 92 and folded `back against the resilient pocket member |00 by means of a U-shaped member |2|. As soon as the pocket members ||ln and ||J| have moved suiiiciently far to clear the member |2|, this member is oscillated downwardly as shown in Figs. 11 and 12 by the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, including a crank arm |23, a yoke member |26, having a cam follower roller |28 engaging Ythe cam |29 on the shaft H4. The gear ratios and timing are,` such that the folding member |2| is oscillated downwardly for each quarter revolution of the turret and returned to the position shown in Fig. 1 for the next folding operation. As Shown in Fig. 12, the folding member |3| positions a portion of the article outside of the pocket 98 against the' pocket member |09.

During rotation of the turret 24 the roller |49 is moved out of the wayl of the folded article, the roller 29 being journaled in a rocker membei' |49 pivotally connected to the lever arm |52 mounted on the shaft 53 which is oscillated by the cam mechanism shown in Fig. 8. This cam mechanism includes a rocker arm |56 secured to the shaft |53, a yoke member |58 pivotally connected to the rocker |56 which yoke member is'v reciprocated by a cam |62 on the came shaft |6| through a cam follower roller |63. The cam shaft |6| is driven from shaft |31 through the gears |66 and |61 shown in Fig. 4 and secured to the shafts IBI and |31,'respective1y. As soon as the turret pocket containing the folded article is positioned horizontally so as to extend toward the left in Fig. 1 the roller 29 is returned to the position shown in Fig. 1 so as to press the folded article between the roller 29 and the roller 3| by action of the spring |54. The pocket members |00 and |0| are notched so that the roller 29 can engage the folded article and so that the pocket members clear the roller 3| and its bracket |13 when the turret is rotated.

Pushers or hook members |46 on the laterally spaced chains 28 engage the corners of the filler member which is wider than the pocket members 00 and |0| and also wider than the folded article, to push the folded article between the rollers 29 and 3| as shown in Fig. 13. The chains 28 are continuously driven fromk the shaft ||4 through chain |42 and gears |38 and |39 on shafts |31 and |4|, respectively, the sprockets |33 engaging the chains 28 also being secured to shaft |31. The folded article is smoothed and compressed by the rollers 29 and 3| as it is moved out of the pocket 98 and is carried beneath the pivoted pusher member 32 which drops behind the folded article and then discharges the folded article from the machine. Pusher member 32 is moved to the right in Fig. 1 for this operation by the lever arms |56 secured to shaft |11 which is rocked by the cam mechanism shown in Fig. l, including the crank arm |19 secured to the shaft |11 and a yoke member |82 which is reciprocated by the cam |86 secured to the shaft |6| engaging a cam follower roller |89 on the yoke member |82.' The pusher member 32 preferably engages the folded article While still being pushed by the pusher members |46 and prior to carrying of these pusher members around the sprockets |33. The mechanism illustrated will fold elongated exiblearticles around a ller member as fast as two operators can position the articles lupon the reciprocating table 22. The operating speed of the machine can be adjusted by the hand wheel 4| so as to accommodate the operation of the machine to the skill of the operators and irrespective of the speed of operation of the machine `the articles will be smoothly folded for packaging either in individual packages4 o'rin packages containing-,a.plurality-ef folded drtdes While ,we have disclosed ,the preferred embellie; I

ment of ourinvention, it is understood;that.the-

1. In a machine for folding-elongated! exime articles,`the combination ofla laterally reciproca,-

ble feed table for receiving said articles, said table having a slot therein-extending inthe direction.

of reciprocation, a plunger. member for forcingiaj fold of the article through said slot andmeans for receiving said fold and withdrawingthecf mainder of said article fromsaid tablerthrough said slot, said table being of sufficient dimension inv thev direction of its reciprocation so that: an article can be positionedon one portion of the, tablewhile anarticle is being foldedand-lremoved from another portion of the table.- `Y

2. In a folding' machine-for folding Velongated flexible articles,r a laterally movable feedtableffor receiving articles to be folded, said tablehavilig a slot extendingl in the direction of movement; thereof, a turret member having ,a plurality* of pockets for receiving-a fold of said article, means for forcing a fold in a portion of saidarticle through said slot and inserting the same into one vof said pockets, means forrrotating said turret after said fold has been inserted in said pocket to move said pocket to a discharge position, `and means for removing the foldedarticle. from said pocket, said table being of sufcient dimension in the direction of its movement so that an article can be positioned on one portion of ,the Atable While an article is being folded and removed from another portion of the table.

3. In a folding machine for folding elongated flexible articles, a turret member having aplu.- rality of pockets therein, means for engaging a filler member With the article to be folded: so as to form a fold of the article about said filler member and insert said filler member and fold into one of said pockets in one position of said turret, at least one Wall of said pocket being of resilient material so as to grip said fold, means for rotating said turret and means cooperating with said turret during rotation thereof for folding the remaining portion of said article and means engagingr said ller member for removing the folded article from said pocket, said removing means including a flexible chain provided with projecting members engaging said filler member to remove the folded article containing said filler member from said pocket and a supplemental pusher member for engaging the folded article and removing the same from contact with said projecting members on said chain.

4. In a machine for folding elongated flexible Y articles, a movable member provided with a pocket, said movable member having a plate element forming one side of said pocket so as to have an external surface extending substantially parallel with an internal side surface of said pocket, means for forming a fold in a portion of said article and inserting said fold into said pocket, means for moving said movable member to move said pocket to a discharge position, means cooperating with said movable member to fold the remainder of said article about said plate element, said last named meansincluding a folding element movable along said external surface and means to move said folding element in timed relation with the movement of said movable member, and means for removing the folded article from said movable member.

.5- lara lmachine.for folding elongated exible articles a j movable member provided with va pocketsaid Lmovable member having a plate element formingone side of said pocket so as to f havezan `external,surface extending substantially parallel `with an linternal side surface of said pocket, means for feedinga ller member against saidarticle intermediateits ends to form a fold in a .portion of said articleabout said filler member and. insert said fold-and, filler member into seid-rocket, said pocket having aresilient memlay fold the-remainder of VSaid .article about said plate ber for gripping said fold, means forzmoving said movable member to move said pocket to a discharge Vlwsitioinmeans cooperating with said movable member during movement thereof' to element, said dlastnamed means including a foldingelement movable :along said external surfaceA and-means :te vmove-said folding element in timed relation` with the, movement. of said movable member,l add-means engaging said nner member for removing the. folded article from said movable member. I Y

'fi dfermdehine for. folding elongated nenne articles, atable lfor supporting an ,article to beY folded, said table being provided with a slot intermediate itsends,v a movable member positioned below said table and provided with a pocket regiSterix-lg with said slotin one position of said movablev membl.- means for forming a fold in a pOiiiiOn' 9i Said article through said slot and into said pocket, j meansl for .moving said movable member to movesaid-pocket to a discharge position and withdraw the remainder of said article through said slot, .means cooperating with said movable member to fold said remainder of said article and means for removing the folded article from Said movable member, said table being latera11ymovable1-and being ofv sufcient width to provide Afor placing an article to be folded on one lateralk portion of the table While another article is being ,fgldediand removed from another lateral portion Qfsaidtable. l .i t

7. In a machine for folding elongated flexible articles, a table for supporting an article to be foldedsaid table being provided with a slot intermediate its ends, a movable member below said table and provided with a plurality of pockets each registering with said slot in one position of said movable member, means registering with said slot for feeding a filler member through said slot to engage and fold an intermediate portion of said article about said filler member and insert said fold and filler member into one of said pockets, each of said pockets having a resilient wall for gripping said fold, means for intermittently moving said movable member to move said one pocket to remove the remainder of said article from said table through said slot, means cooperating With said movable member during movement thereof to fold the remainder of said article and means for removing the folded article from said movable member at another position of said one pocket, said table being laterally movmeans for'supportingfsaid article; means? for feeding'a ller member to vform a 'fold in a'po'rtion of said article aboutV said filler `member`and insert said fold and said ller member into said pocket, means for rotatingsaid turret member to move said pocket to a discharge position, folding.- means movable generally'radially of saidV turret 9. In a machine for'folding elongated flexible articles, a movable member provided with apocket, means for supporting said article, means for feeding a filler member to form a fold in a portion Vof said article .about said -lle'r member and insert said fold and said ller member into.

said pocket, means for 'moving -said movable member to move said pocket to a discharge position, means cooperating with said "movable mem# ber during movement thereof tov fold the remain'- der of said article, and means forV removing the folded article from said movable membensaid removing means including endless chains-having portions extending parallel to the walls of said pocket when said pocketis in said discharge position and projecting elements on said chains for engaging said ller member and removing the same with said article from said'pocket, and oscillating pusher members for engaging said article while still in contact with said projecting members for discharging the folded article from said machine. y

10. VIn a machine for folding elongated flexible articles, a movable member 'provided with `a pocket, means for supporting said article, means for feeding a filler member to form a fold in a portion of said article'about said filler-'member and insert said fold and said ller member into said pocket, means vfor moving said movable member to move said pocket toa discharge position, means cooperating with said' movable member during rmovement thereof to fold the remainder of saidarticle, and means for removing the'folded article from said movable member, said removing means including-endless chains having portions extending parallel to the walls of said pocketwhen said pocket is in said discharge position 'andprojecting elements on said chains for engagingV said v'filler member and removing the same with said article from said pocket, and oscillatingpusher members for engaging said article while stillv in contact with said projecting members for discharging the folded article from said machine, and means for smoothing said folded article during removal from said pocket by said projecting members.

11. In a machine for folding elongated flexible articles, a' movable member provided with a pocket, meansv for supporting said article, means for feeding a filler member to form a fold in a portion of said article about said filler member and insert said fold and said filler member into said pocket, means for moving said movable member to move said pocket to a discharge position,A means cooperating with said movable memf berduring movement thereof to fold the remainder of said'article, and means for removing the folded article from said movable member, said removing means including endless chains having portions extending parallel to the walls of said pocket when said pocket is in said discharge position and projecting elements on said chains for engaging said filler member and removing the same with said article from said pocket, and oscillating pusher members for engaging said article While still in contact With'said projecting members for discharging the folded article from said machine, and means for smoothing said folded article during removal from said pocket by said projecting members, said smoothing means including rollers resiliently engaging opposite sides of said folded article. f

' CHRISTOPHER P. TONG.

JOHN W. MAY. 

